MERCH
06/11/2024
Interview with Ryo Taniguchi, Winner of the Shadow Clone Transformation Art Showdown Design Contest, Who Won the Hearts of Naruto Fans Worldwide!
Shadow Clone Transformation Art Showdown Design Contest
The Shadow Clone Transformation Art Showdown was a figure design contest held by BANPRESTO in honor of the Naruto anime's 20th anniversary.
Ten designers made creative "transformations" of Naruto, and fans around the world voted!
Ten designers made creative "transformations" of Naruto, and fans around the world voted!
Winner: Ryo Taniguchi
Ryo Taniguchi is a character designer who began his career in 1998. He sells character goods in the Tenjin area of Fukuoka City.
The Origin of the Shadow Clone Transformation Art Showdown Design Contest
—First, I have some questions for Akihiro from BANDAI SPIRITS, who was involved with this contest's conception! Can you tell us how it all got started?
Akihiro Miyoshi (hereafter, Akihiro): We knew we wanted to celebrate the anime's 20th anniversary, and while BANDAI SPIRITS would usually design something ourselves, we thought we might be able to provide a better product by having fans from around the world vote for what they liked.
That's where the contest idea came from, and we later reached out to the ten designers who entered.
—Having a chibi-style figure contest is rather unusual, isn't it?
Akihiro: It's true that there are divided opinions about chibi-style figures, but we were confident that with the whole world voting, we would be able to bring a figure with widespread appeal to life.
—Thank you so much!
Now, I have some questions for Ryo Taniguchi, who created the winning design.
Akihiro Miyoshi (hereafter, Akihiro): We knew we wanted to celebrate the anime's 20th anniversary, and while BANDAI SPIRITS would usually design something ourselves, we thought we might be able to provide a better product by having fans from around the world vote for what they liked.
That's where the contest idea came from, and we later reached out to the ten designers who entered.
—Having a chibi-style figure contest is rather unusual, isn't it?
Akihiro: It's true that there are divided opinions about chibi-style figures, but we were confident that with the whole world voting, we would be able to bring a figure with widespread appeal to life.
—Thank you so much!
Now, I have some questions for Ryo Taniguchi, who created the winning design.
As a Fan from the Very Start, "There's No Way I'll Lose!"
—Ryo, when did you first encounter Naruto?
Ryo Taniguchi (hereafter, Ryo): I've been a Shonen Jump reader for 40 years now, ever since I was in second grade, so I read Naruto as it came out from the very beginning! I have all the manga volumes, even the bonus ones given out at theatrical releases!
—How did you feel when you heard about the Shadow Clone Transformation Art Showdown design contest?
Ryo: I love the manga so I was really excited!
I was confident in my status as the most hardcore Naruto fan among the entrants, so I thought "There's no way I'll lose!" (laughs)
—Could you tell us about your favorite characters and scenes from Naruto?
Ryo: I tend to like the main character when I read a manga, so I'm naturally a Naruto fan, but I also really like the teacher-student duo of Guy and Lee!
One of my favorite scenes is when Guy tells the young Lee he's a "genius of hard work".
Ryo Taniguchi (hereafter, Ryo): I've been a Shonen Jump reader for 40 years now, ever since I was in second grade, so I read Naruto as it came out from the very beginning! I have all the manga volumes, even the bonus ones given out at theatrical releases!
—How did you feel when you heard about the Shadow Clone Transformation Art Showdown design contest?
Ryo: I love the manga so I was really excited!
I was confident in my status as the most hardcore Naruto fan among the entrants, so I thought "There's no way I'll lose!" (laughs)
—Could you tell us about your favorite characters and scenes from Naruto?
Ryo: I tend to like the main character when I read a manga, so I'm naturally a Naruto fan, but I also really like the teacher-student duo of Guy and Lee!
One of my favorite scenes is when Guy tells the young Lee he's a "genius of hard work".
Ryo: Also the scene before Lee's surgery where Guy promises that if Lee dies due to the operation he'll die with him, saying his ninja way is to make Lee a splendid ninja...
I cried so hard reading that!
I cried so hard reading that!
—While creating your design, did you take Kishimoto's art style into consideration?
Ryo: I tried to create a design that used my preferred chibi style but still incorporated elements of Kishimoto's art. I wanted it to be something that Naruto fans would be satisfied by!
—How did you decide what pose to use, and how to implement the chibi style in your design?
Ryo: Well, I knew it would end up becoming 3D, so I did my best to come up with a "Naruto-esque" pose that would still work for that!
As far as how to implement the chibi style, I just followed my own sense and what I thought looked good!
Ryo: I tried to create a design that used my preferred chibi style but still incorporated elements of Kishimoto's art. I wanted it to be something that Naruto fans would be satisfied by!
—How did you decide what pose to use, and how to implement the chibi style in your design?
Ryo: Well, I knew it would end up becoming 3D, so I did my best to come up with a "Naruto-esque" pose that would still work for that!
As far as how to implement the chibi style, I just followed my own sense and what I thought looked good!
—How were the designs made into 3D figures?
Akihiro: We sent requests to a company that creates figure prototypes, and had the designers check the finished 3D product.
Akihiro: We sent requests to a company that creates figure prototypes, and had the designers check the finished 3D product.
—Ryo, what would you say is special about your design?
Ryo: While we had sculptors create the 3D versions this time, I also have experience with figure sculpting myself. I think one of my strengths is being able to keep in mind how my illustration would look in 3D. I also think one of my strong suits as a designer is balancing coolness and cuteness, if that makes sense.
—Akihiro, how about you? What aspects of Ryo's design make it stand out?
Akihiro: When it comes to chibi-style designs, they tend to inevitably lean on the cute side, but Ryo's ability to keep a sense of coolness in this case really impressed me. Also, I think fans appreciated how much he preserved the atmosphere of the series and made the design really feel like Naruto.
—Finally, since "NARUTO SHIPPUDEN REPOPRIZE UZUMAKI NARUTO" isn't the only one of Ryo's figures on its way, I'd like to ask Akihiro to do an official announcement! (laughs)
Akihiro: Of course! (laughs)
Ryo: While we had sculptors create the 3D versions this time, I also have experience with figure sculpting myself. I think one of my strengths is being able to keep in mind how my illustration would look in 3D. I also think one of my strong suits as a designer is balancing coolness and cuteness, if that makes sense.
—Akihiro, how about you? What aspects of Ryo's design make it stand out?
Akihiro: When it comes to chibi-style designs, they tend to inevitably lean on the cute side, but Ryo's ability to keep a sense of coolness in this case really impressed me. Also, I think fans appreciated how much he preserved the atmosphere of the series and made the design really feel like Naruto.
—Finally, since "NARUTO SHIPPUDEN REPOPRIZE UZUMAKI NARUTO" isn't the only one of Ryo's figures on its way, I'd like to ask Akihiro to do an official announcement! (laughs)
Akihiro: Of course! (laughs)
Akihiro: "NARUTO SHIPPUDEN REPOPRIZE UZUMAKI NARUTO" is scheduled to become available at game centers across Japan on June 18th!
Akihiro: Then in July, the next figure will be "NARUTO SHIPPUDEN REPOPRIZE NAMIKAZE MINATO"!
Akihiro: August is scheduled to bring "NARUTO SHIPPUDEN REPOPRIZE HATAKE KAKASHI", so chibi-style figures designed by Ryo will be coming out three months in a row!
—Ryo, Akihiro, thank you for your time!
—Ryo, Akihiro, thank you for your time!
More REPOPRIZE figures are on their way, so don't miss out!
